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Our Daily Thread 4-13-15

Good Morning!

Today’s header photo is from Cheryl.

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On this day in 1782 Washington, NC, was incorporated as the first town to be named for George Washington.

In 1860 the first mail was delivered via Pony Express when a westbound rider arrived in Sacremento, CA from St. Joseph, MO.

In 1861, after 34 hours of bombardment, the Union-held Fort Sumter surrendered to Confederates. 

And in 1943 President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the Jefferson Memorial.  

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Quotes of the Day

“To compel a man to furnish funds for the propagation of ideas he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.”

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“I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.”

Thomas Jefferson

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 Today is Al Green’s birthday. From MyRhythmNSoulTV 

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Anyone have a QoD?

50 thoughts on “Our Daily Thread 4-13-15”

  1. Good Morning Everyone. Lots of rain here overnight. I was awake for a lot of it. My Little Man Amos beat me to my seat on the sofa this morning and since he so rarely snuggles with me anymore I am having to reach over him to my coffee, Such problems to have on a Monday. He and Lulabelle will be disappointed today. It is too wet for them to go to the dog park. Amos goes on the big dog side. He now thinks he is a big dog.

    With all the worries, guilt, and problems I think I have nothing compares to the feelings the family I mentioned over the weekend must feel. First the mother and now the son. Please continue to pray for the family they left behind.

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  2. QOD if you choose to help me on this, it is actually from my priest for our Bible Study tonight.

    Here are some questions to consider if you spend some time beforehand looking at the letter to Pergamum:
    On administering pastoral correction: Christ comes with correction but first he brings them encouragement for their faithfulness in general. Psychologists tell us (and we know from experience) that one word of correction outweighs many words of praise. Think about this “order” when you may need to bring correction to someone’s attention. Why do we fail to approach others the way Jesus does here?

    On the nature of Satan’s throne: Pergamum is the only city said to contain Satan’s throne. How could a city come to be described this way? What are the implications? Might there be demonic strongholds in our community, regionally or our church? What is an appropriate response to them?

    On toleration and the pressure to compromise: This church was in danger of judgment because it tolerated some within it who compromised their faith in Christ through participation in idolatrous practices, probably to avoid social and economic penalties. Are we (cota, ACNA, the Christian Church) threatened with some form of compromise with the world? What kinds of spiritual compromise might bring us under God’s judgment?

    (These questions come from G.K. Beale’s “Revelation: A Shorter Commentary” which is over 500 pages. His original volume is highly regarded.)

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  4. Kim, Interesting questions. I may look into some of that.
    Pastor Steve has been preaching through Philippians since he got here a couple or three months ago. He preached Phil 3:1-3 yesterday.
    When Paul says, “Finally, my bretheren”, it means the same thing as when a preacher says “one more thing”.

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  6. Good Morning Kim…I need to ponder over the questions and they happen to be very timely presented…Paul and I were very frustrated and troubled by some spoken words in our SS yesterday….very much along the lines presented here by you….
    I’m off to work for the day…I will try to pop back in tonight….have a blessed day everyone…it’s going to be beautiful here..until Wed…then we are getting a foot of snow…. 😎

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  8. Kim, those are deep questions. I read the passage and the ending made me smile about the secret name that no one knows except the person to which it is given. Why the secrecy?

    About the city with Satan’s throne, since Satan is the great deceiver, it could be a city that appears less sinful than most but it has the heart of darkness.?

    The way the RFRA worked out in Georgia at the gold dome in the heart of Atlanta, in the middle of the Bible belt it puts suspicion in me that it could be Atlanta. To add a touch of humor, it is known as Hotlanta, which seems appropriate for a place for the devil’s throne. But there are so many places that draw speculation. And it seems you may be indicating all the churches in the USA from what you said?

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  10. I also thought of Atlanta because I think its airport is the busiest in the world and, correct me if I am wrong, isn’t Satan known as “The Prince of the Air?” I know that is a literal interpretation/thought but thinking it is interesting coincidence. Being an air hub, I think it would give many opportunities for evil connections.i know Atlanta is listed in the top cities for sex trafficking and that is probably because of the airport.

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  12. Janice, last I knew, Chicago’s O’Hare and the Atlanta airport kind of take turns at being the busiest on a given year. That may not still be true (Chicago’s Midway has become huge as well, so it may have taken off some of O’Hare’s traffic), but it was true while I lived there at least. But yeah, that isn’t what the phrase means, anyway. 🙂

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  13. Kim, this is heavy stuff. In studying Revelation, the place you go depends on where you start.
    Some things need to be settled first.
    Are you studying Revelation or only the letters to the churches?
    If you are studying the book, you need to decide on the approach.
    1. Historicist.(the non-millenial view) believe that everything in Revelation must mean something to the people to whom it was written. All of the activity in Revelation points to the end of emperor worship and imperial Rome.

    My professor’s at Southwestern Seminary had this approach and our text was Worthy is the Lamb by Dr. Ray Summers.

    2.Futurist: This is prophesy of the final redemption of Gods people.
    This is then divided into other groups. Dispensationalist and Non. Then pre, mid, post trib rapture. Etc. This is the position I hold Futurist, pre-wrath.

    See what I mean? But if you’re only studying the letters (providing you’re not dispensationalist) you can glean some lessons from each church.
    Pergamum: There are two phrases used in every letter. (1)”I know” God is aware. Not only of our failures, but He’s well aware of the difficulties we face.. Antipas is the first known martyr in that part of the world. Jesus knows and he knows how to deal with it.
    Implied here is the promise of John 16:33 “in the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.
    (2) The second phrase is “He that overcomes”. After presenting his rebuke against various practices and threats to the church. He gives a promise.
    The “white stone” baffles commentators. The most common interpretation is that a white stone was given to someone to present for admittance. Much as you have a ticket to something.

    This is heavy stuff, as I said. It can’t be settled on a blog. But I hope this helps somewhat.

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  17. Chas, we are studying the whole book. So far we have looked at it historically.
    I was taught early in life that Revelations was prophecy of things to come. That is why I spent most of my life terrified to read it.
    I have a friend whose husband is Catholic. He believes this has already happened.

    I am most ashamed to admit that I do not know if I am “Dispensationalist and Non. Then pre, mid, post trib rapture. Etc. “

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  18. Janice, you’re more than welcome to keep the world’s busiest designation for good. 🙂 I left Chicago in ’03, so it was early in that run if they’ve kept it since 2000. I just knew that each year at some point I’d hear whether Chicago or Atlanta had it the year before. But Midway was expanding over and over again, until it was huge too (though nothing close to O’Hare), so I’m guessing O’Hare is probably serving a smaller base, now that Midway can handle a huge number too. But I’ve flown into Atlanta, both Chicago airports, Dallas/Ft Worth, and a couple different airports in LA, so I’ve experienced the biggest of the big and definitely prefer a smaller airport.

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  19. What Balaam did was to lead Israel astray. He did it for money. He said, “If you don’t cater to homosexual couples you are a hater and we will organize a boycott or other bad things for you” In Pergamum, it was probably a mixture of sexual immorality, common in Roman culture, and idolatry. Both hard to get away from in that culture.

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  20. I’m about half way through “Thriving in Babylon,” which is a helpful book, I think, for those of us seeking more perspective on the course of the culture around us.

    Among the issues he raises (including the reminder that every generation says things are basically going to hell in a handbaskst), harkening back to the book of Habakkuk, is that God disciplines His own first, sometimes using our enemies to do the job.

    Hard times, including persecution, are used by God as “boot camps” for the faithful — they are to be seen as opportunities for the church and individual believers to be strengthened and trained.

    He also reminds us that we aren’t seeing anything like the evil that pervaded the culture of Babylon, of course.

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  22. The cardinal photo seemed to me nearly perfect. The tree doesn’t have leaves yet, so nothing obscures him even a little bit. He looks content and confident. And the evergreen behind him has blurred into undistracting background, but gives him his complementary color to make his red pop all the more. I even like that one dead leaf that is still hanging there to show the tree isn’t dead, it just doesn’t have its leaves yet. I don’t like it that the cardinal is right in the center, but when you’re taking a photo through cut glass, you take what lets you focus.

    I got some gorgeous bluebird photos on a walk my husband, daughter, and I took yesterday, but I’ll wait to send them to AJ, since he has enough photos from me for now. 🙂 But they were the best I’ve ever gotten of that species, so that was great fun. (I also got an excellent chickadee shot. Those tiny birds are so hard to photograph; they are so tiny it takes a lot of zooming, and by the time you have zoomed in to where the bird was sitting, he probably isn’t there any more because he rarely stays on the same twig more than a couple of seconds.)

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  23. Sometimes, in other words, we need to be using a mirror rather than binoculars (according to the author of “Thriving”).

    He mentions the example of a man who began attending their church and wrote him notes, sent him articles, told him the church needed to be more proactive in opposing gay marriage. Well, turns out the guy was living with his girlfriend. When the pastor sent him some passages that essentially held up a mirror on that issue, the guy became very upset and left the church.

    Another post I saw this weekend caught my attention — it was from a large, Reformed group of churches that is hosting an upcoming conference, telling those planning to attend to heed what programs and channels they watched in their hotel rooms. Seems (and this was apparently verified) that a large Christian conference in the recent past shot adult channel viewership in hotel rooms through the roof. 😦

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  24. A brief synopsis of “What I believe about the book of Revelation.”
    It is a revelation to John imprisoned on the Island of Patmos. It is essentially divided into two parts. The first is to seven churches in Asia Minor (Turkey). It was for their edification and warnings. This part has nothing to do with the future, except for Jesus’ vows to take action. It is significant to me that John starts Ch. 4 with “After this, I looked….” This is the future revealed to John. Therefore, I am a futurist.

    I am not a dispensationalist. The most common teaching of dispensationalism is found in the comments of the Scofield Bible. It teaches that the Seven Churches represent seven dispensations of the church. We are living in the Laodiciean age (The Lukewarm church). There is a good practical argument for that, but he has a hard time finding the Philidiphean age to my satisfaction.

    All dispensationalist and some other pre-millenialists believe in a pre-tribulation rapture. “I will keep you from the hour of trial….” Rev. 7:10 But I believe that Christians will go through the Satanic tribulation but be delivered from God’s judgment. (Seven plagues and bowld of wrath.)

    I would be a heretic in our church. “I believe Jesus might come before this lesson ends.”
    Their reasons: (1.) Rev. 7:10. (2) They say the church is the restraint upon Satan’s power (2 Thess 2:7.) I say the church has done nothing to restrain the degradation of our culture, the Holy Day (I’m as guilty as anyone here.), prevalence of pornography. (When I was a kid, we looked in a magazine called “Sunshine and Health” to see what a naked woman looked like.) Narcotics culture, Homosexuality, etc.. (3) As before, “The church will be delivered from tribulation” That is a comfortable to say to a church on the corner of 4th and Washington. But tell that to millions of fellow Christians in Nigeria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, etc. Tribulation is happening for them NOW. Real time.

    I’ve spent more time on this than I meant to when I started. I hope it is helpful to someone. At least, cause some thinking..

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  25. I re-checked to make sure I was remembering that post correctly (it’s linked below) — the previous conference (where adult channel use seemingly spiked) was a gathering of youth pastors.

    http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/gospeldrivenchurch/2015/04/10/they-will-know-you-are-conference-christians-by-your-porn/

    “A gentle word of warning for the thousands entering Orlando this weekend for next week’s Gospel Coalition Conference: what you do in the privacy of your hotel room can be a witness against the gospel. Seriously. …”

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  26. Excellent point, Donna, about the church being disciplined first and often by its enemies. The OT makes that very clear.

    Kim, if you’re an Anglican you’re not a dispensationalist unless you subscribe to the ideas as expressed in Hal Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet Earth or any of the Left Behind books.

    Over at my bible study, I’ve got a QOD which I just posted on FB as well:

    So, having slugged through a tough study of Jeremiah, my adorable Bible study ladies asked for something “light,” in particular, Angels, “because there’s so much misconception about them.

    Great. IVP Lifeguides has an eight week series on Angels and I’ve found these series to serve the purpose: an overview of Scripture that prompts lots of discussion with a minimum amount of homework. (Most of the women in my study are 70-97 years old). It’s served us well and I only have to do a couple hours prep a week.

    Until today. The Angels study wanders all over the place–sticks to Scripture, of course, but doesn’t answer the questions my ladies have. So, I’ll spend this afternoon writing up additional curriculum.

    The reasons for this post: what interests you about angels and what are your questions?

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  27. How did it come to be that Angels were “acceptable” in mainstream thought, but God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost somehow weren’t around.

    I know people who almost worship angels, but hardly darken the door of a church.

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  28. KimH- To me it is not at all important to know when Jesus is returning, just that he is. So I don’t know which I am either. I heard one say that he was pan-millenialist: it will all pan out in the end. That’s what I am.

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  29. What you believe about the endtimes can affect what you believe (and practice) about other things. A person who is post-mill, for example, can see it as our job to turn culture around, so he might be mad at fellow Christians if they vote for someone who isn’t a Christian, if they use birth control (fewer Christians to influence culture and bring Jesus back), send their kids to public school, etc.

    A dispensationalist looks through every news story for hints that what he believes to be true about the endtimes is about to happen.

    Me? My husband is amil, and I’m sort of comfortable with that position, but I’m pretty sure it will happen differently than anyone anticipates. I look at the first coming and see that it was all according to prophecy, but all different than anyone expected. I think the second coming will be the same way, that it will make perfect sense in retrospect but is something that isn’t exactly the way we predict it. So I don’t worry about it too much.

    I think much of Revelation has already happened and that there is not a still-future tribulation period, but that really the “message” of Revelation is more about the victory of Jesus Christ than it is any end-times detail.

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  30. I pretty much agree with Cheryl in 1:56 (though, in my experience, many post-mils — while they work to make their community, country and world a better place, are first and foremost confident that it is God, not us, who will bring the end result about and that in our limited perspective we all may have different “means” that we’d see as useful, which is OK; but either way, it all works out in the end; I don’t know many (any?) “angry” post mils, most are quite easy going as their confidence is is God).

    I land somewhere between the a- and post- positions, I suppose, but hold on to that loosely as Scripture simply isn’t all that clear about how it all unfolds in the end.

    I also agree that it’s likely that it will all “work out” differently than any of our current views project. So I don’t worry about any of it much, either.

    (But michelle is right, if Kim is Anglican she probably isn’t a dispensationalist 🙂 )

    And while I appreciate the “pan” approach, our pastor also stresses that it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t study the matter seriously, even though we see through a glass darkly on some of this now. .

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  31. One of my delightful ladies commented on Tuesday, “wow, if one third of the angels fell away with God and the number of angels is huge, how many demons are out there?”

    My husband was talking about tares in the church yesterday and how they can scare true seekers away.

    I wonder if those two ideas can be meshed together?

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  32. I also believe that the 2nd coming will be mostly clear in hindsight–just as the first one was. However, with the first one there WERE many watching and waiting. They saw the truth about Jesus and were not quick to dismiss him as a charlatan, liar, fool or dangerous to the status quo. There was much they did not understand until after the resurrection, of course.

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  37. True seekers are those who have been regenerated — so they won’t “scare” away ultimately, God has already (I think) seen to that.

    But it takes a while to come to terms with the fact that churches are filled with imperfect people, believers and nonbelievers alike.

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  38. Peter has a point, to a point. (12:55)
    It doesn’t make any difference what C.I. Scofield believed. Or Dr. Ray Summers, nor my mother, nor the pastor in West Lafayette. They are gone and the event didn’t occur during their lifetime. All their speculation didn’t matter on a personal basis.
    And there is a point those who believe in imminent rapture have. That is the urgency to be prepared. In Matthew 24, Jesus gives his dissertation on His return. Then he gives several examples of warning:
    Two men in the field and two women at the mill.
    Homeowner whose house is robbed.
    The master and the servant.
    Then, in Ch. 25, he gives three parables: Ten virgins, Talents, Sheep and goats.
    These are treated differently in lessons, but that misses the point. They all say the same thing:
    WATCH

    My mother believed in an imminent return. She would say, “Do you want the Lord to come back and find you doing that?” I smile when I think about it, but her theology was sound.
    It will not be a secret coming. All the world will know.
    Rev. 1:17“Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

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  39. Can I get back to my Clancy book now?
    This makes Clancy seem trivial.
    Maybe it is in comparison.
    Re: Kim’s comment from yesterday:
    Clancy was no prude,
    But these guys are crude.

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  40. Hello all. Spring is finally putting in an appearance here – there are a few snowdrops in my garden, and an awful lot of insect larva in the pond. I just had to get outside and do a little gardening in the rose garden, just clearing away fallen leaves and dead growth from last year.

    On Kim’s and Michelle’s questions: I do not have a lot of answers. I have a study Bible which says that Pergamos had a huge altar to Zeus, rising a thousand feet above the plain, which may have been the physical reference behind the phrase ‘Satan’s seat’. With pagan spiritual sites, there is very frequently a strong demonic presence associated with the shrines or temples.

    I tend to view Revelation as an overview of world history, beginning to end, as seen from heaven. I have no doubt that the seven letters were to real churches – just as Paul’s letters were to real churches; but, like Paul’s letters, they may also be applied any church. I believe in the immanent return (as it is expressed in theological language) of Christ because of what He said about it, not only in Revelation, but also during His ministry as recorded in the Gospels.

    Michelle’s question about angels kind of ties into the discussion of Revelation. As I mentioned, demons (fallen angels) are usually associated with pagan activity – or, more accurately, deliberately rebellious activity against the knowledge of God and His Christ. I have noticed a real tie between both legalism and satanic oppression, and between sexual immorality and satanic oppression. When I say that I think Revelation is a view of history from the spiritual realm, I think it is possible we are allowed a slight glimpse into how the spiritual realm interacts with history. For example, the beast with ten heads coming up out of the sea is in both the Old and New Testament. I often wonder if it is a specific demon associated with world power (it seems to be associated with Rome in Daniel’s prophecy). More than one person has wondered if the beast’s prophet is associated with Islam; but, seeing the similarities with Mormonism and Islam, I wonder if the creature’s methods vary little with whom he deceives. These are just thoughts, however, and I wouldn’t want to make a doctrine out of it. It is abundantly clear from the rest of Scripture that the real focus is on Jesus Christ. He is the centre piece of history and the One who is victorious over all. Revelation’s focus is on His final victory, just as the Old Testament prophecies all looked to His first coming.

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  41. I should mention that Islam is very interested in angelic activity. They believe there is a conjunction between the stars during Ramadan which opens a heavenly portal and so the angels are more active at that time. There is a claim that during this time is when all the important prophets – including Jesus – were born. I mentioned on Friday that Jews were also interested in angels – I wonder if Islam acquired their lore from Jewish lore. There is similar lore around angels in some groups in Christianity. However, it is wise to stick to what the Bible has to say. Trying to contact angels is likely to land you in with the wrong group.

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  42. How many times are the Lord’s army of angels called into action in the Bible?
    List of fiction books that have angels in them that align with what scripture says about angels…as in further reading that will not take people astray on the subject of angels.
    Is there an area on earth currently that is known for “angelic activity”?
    Are ghosts confused with angels?

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  43. All interesting questions. It’s lengthy, but here is the supplemental material I prepared this afternoon for tomorrow’s study. (I’m working on the next six weeks, too. The actual Bible study feels way too thin . . . ) This is three pages long in Word.

    2. Angels Among Us
    Creation
    The Scripture speaks about the creation of angels, therefore, it is clear that they have not existed from all eternity (Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 148:2,5).
    Colossians 1:16-17 explains:
    “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”
    The time of their creation is never definitely specified, but it is most probable that it occurred in connection with the creation of the heavens in Genesis 1:1. It may be that God created the angels immediately after He had created the heavens and before He created the earth—for according to Job 38:4-7, “the sons of God shouted for joy” when He laid the foundations of the earth. [Christiananswers.net]

    The angels were apparently created all at once, yet individually. They are never portrayed as a race descended from a common ancestor (Luke 20:34–36). Humans are called “sons of men,” but angels are never called “sons of angels.” As a matter of fact, Jesus emphatically said that angels do not marry (Matt. 22:30).
    As to gender, they are always referred to with masculine pronouns — but since they have no feminine counterparts and are spiritual beings who do not procreate, it would seem that they cannot meaningfully be categorized as either male or female.
    [http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/angels-messengers-and-ministers-god/]

    Bodies
    Angels are essentially “ministering spirits,” (Hebrews 1:14) and do not have physical bodies like humans. Jesus declared that “a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24:37-39).
    The Bible does, however, make it clear that angels can only be in one place at a time. They must have some localized presence.
    Angels can take on the appearance of men when the occasion demands. How else could some “entertain angels unaware” (Hebrews 13:2)? On the other hand, their appearance is sometimes in dazzling white and blazing glory (Matthew 28:2-4). [Christiananswers.net]

    They are spirit-beings (Ps. 104:4; Heb. 1:7, 14) and therefore incorporeal as to their nature, but they are capable at times of assuming at least the appearance (if not the actual, albeit temporary, form) of bodily organisms (Gen. 19:1–14; John 20:12). They can do this so perfectly that they are easily mistaken for humans (Ezek. 9:2; Heb. 13:2).
    But because we know that “a spirit does not have flesh and bones” (Luke 24:39), we ought to understand that these occasional visible manifestations of angels are an accommodation to the limitations of human perception, and not a lesson about the true and essential character of angels.
    The cherubim, far from the chubby-faced childlike figures often pictured in popular art, seem to represent the power and majesty of the angelic host. They were positioned as guards by the entrance of Eden (Gen. 3:24). They were also the symbolic guardians of the ark of the covenant (Ex. 37:7). And they formed a living chariot of fire on which the Lord would ride (2 Sam. 22:11; Ps. 18:10; see also Ezek. 10:1–22). They are always described as fearsome and awe-inspiring creatures.
    [http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/angels-messengers-and-ministers-god/]

    Fear not—because of their dazzling array or their ferocious appearance?
    Angels can take on the appearance of men when the occasion demands. How else could some “entertain angels unaware” (Hebrews 13:2)? On the other hand, their appearance is sometimes in dazzling white and blazing glory (Matthew 28:2-4).
    http://www.christiananswers.net
    Acts 1:10: “And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel.”
    Mark 16:5-9 “ And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
    6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him.7 But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”

    Luke 24:4-7: 4 And it happened, as they were greatly[a] perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’”
    2 Kings 6:17: “And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.”
    Examine: Balaam and the Ass Numbers 22:22

    How many?
    Without giving any hint as to their actual number, Scripture makes it clear that the angelic host is a vast and imposing army. The expression “host of heaven,” often used to signify the angels (Deut. 4:19; 2 Chron. 18:18; Luke 2:13), suggests an innumerable throng (see Jer. 33:22).
    But they are nonetheless organized in ranks and legions similar to a massive army. Again, the expression “host of heaven” evokes the idea of an armed company. Jesus said on the night of His betrayal that he could have instantly summoned “more than twelve legions of angels” to fight on His behalf (Matt. 26:53).

    Are these angels related to seraphim?

    Revelation 4:6-8: 6 Before the throne there was[a] a sea of glass, like crystal. And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. 8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:
    “Holy, holy, holy,[b]
    Lord God Almighty,
    Who was and is and is to come!”

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  44. Chas, the funny thing about the two men in the field, two women grinding grain, etc.: the dispensationalists always teach that Jesus is coming back and taking one in the rapture, leaving the other person to face the tribulation. I was well into adulthood before I heard (and recognized) that that makes no sense in the context . . . because the context is saying one of them will be taken away to be judged, not to be rescued. The one “taken away” is the unbeliever!

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  46. Chas, it is theoretically possible (I believe it’s more than theoretical) that some of what was revealed to John as “future” was future to him, but past to us.

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  47. I’ve had a stinky day — my friend Norma (on the prayer thread) got the bad news we were all fearing. I just feel very sad, I guess. 😦

    And work is just very strange these days. We are pared down to practically nothing and it felt as if every last bit of energy was just sucked out of the newsroom today. You could hear a pin drop, we were all dragging (well, “all” in terms of the 4 reporters there today).

    The city editor literally fell asleep in his chair for about 15 minutes this afternoon. Snore.

    We’re so out of gas.

    We should get confirmation by the end of this month about who buys us (it’s the hedge fund that also snatched up the Twinkies). No one expects big changes right away — but none of us believes the top brass when they say, “Oh, they may decide to invest a lot of money in all the papers!!” line. If anything, we figure we may just get smaller so someone can cut more expenses — although how we could even do what we need to do in covering the area with fewer people is a mystery.

    And Tess is limping, hopping around holding up her right foot. Last time this happened — only a few months ago — I took her in and it was nothing (after the expense of an Xray), so I’m going to just watch it again for a week or more. She somehow tweaks that foot, I think when she makes sharp turns running in the backyard.

    Someone please tell me this day is over.

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